Press Statement dated 14 August 2018
The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) has learnt with disappointment the recent looting of the City of Tshwane as exposed in the Sunday Times.
The said statement alleges that a certain engineering company, Glad Afrika was illegally appointed by the City of Tshwane through Regulation 32 to manage implementation of CAPEX projects. We have also learned that the Glad Africa charges exorbitant amounts of money and in some cases for work not done.
Of major concern to the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) is the following
- Appointment of Glad Africa against the advice of City Legal Compliance division which indicated that it will be unlawful to appoint such a company when it had only three months remaining in their DBSA contract
- That all City officials who refuse to approve Glad Africa invoices are threatened and victimized
- Duplication of services such ( Housing, Water and Sanitation and Roads and Transport)since most of the work done by Glad Africa is currently done by City employees
- Outsourcing of functions performed by permanent employees without proper consultation with labour
- Intention to allow Glad Africa to manage all City of Tshwane communication matters
SAMWU therefore demands that the Executive Mayor and Council conduct through investigation on how the company was appointed and whoever is in the wrong be suspended and dealt with in line with the disciplinary code. We cannot allow a situation where the City is looted billions of Rands to benefit some Municipal Officials and their cronies whereas workers are subjected to non-provision of PPE, non-payment of overtime and harsh working conditions. It is our believe that this looted funds would have been better utilized to improve conditions of the working class through better service delivery
Issued by Mpho Tladinyane, Tshwane Regional Secretary, South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu)